Undergarment



' Nov. 2, 194s.

F. A. COHEN 2,453,063

UNDERGARMENT A i Fild Feb. 15. 194e Patented Nov. 2, i948 -.-UNITED wS11-.mms NPri'rlslvl OFFICE UNDERGARMENT Frank A. Cohen, Brooklyn, N.

Application February 1 1 claim. (01.2438) i This inventionv relates to undergarments, and more particularly to that type of ladies formshaping and constricting garment knownas a pantie girdle. Even more specically, the invention pertains to pantie girdles of the iig leaf` type wherein a wholly detachable crotch element defines" the crotch of the undergarment and also comprises the `inner side of each `of the leg portions. f f i fI't'is an object of my invention to provide an improved iig leaf pantie girdle in which the crotch element `is attached to thegirdle by fastening means whose individual elements are very closely spaced along the lateral edges of the `crotch element, so that it is impossible `under any circumstances for a wide gape to open between the girdle and crotch elementwhile the undergarment is being worn, as is presently the case where the elements of the fastening means are remotely spaced.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved iig leaf pantie girdle of the character described in which the fastening means, notwithstanding the fact that its elements are very closely spaced, bends and twists with extreme readiness along the edges of the crotch element so that the undergarment loses none of its inherent flexibility.`

r It is another object of `my invention to provide animproved iig leaf pantie girdle of the character described in which the fastening means when once closed will stay closed regardless of the activities of the wearer or long use of the fastening means, this being in contrast to the snap type fastener elements now used in manytg leaf pantie girdles. .,It is `an additional object of my inventionto provide an improved figleaf pantie girdle of the character described in which the fastening means, although of such nature that they will remain closed under any condition or manipulation save that intended to open them, nevertheless open very easily and quickly when desired, this being a marked improvement over the difficult-to-open hook type `fasteners presently employed. l f Itis still anotherobject of my invention to pro- `vide an improved fig leaf pantie girdle of the character described in whichthe fastening means is arranged in such fashion that the tender inner surface of the thighs is `protected `from chai-lng, pinching, abrasion, or scratching by said means, either when in closed condition or when opening or closing.

1 Other objects of my invention will in part be obvious and in `part pointed 'out hereinafter.

- ,The invention accordinglyconsistsin the features ofconstructlon, combinations of elements,

5, 1946, Serial No. 647,948

and arrangement of parts which will be exempli-` fied in the undergarments hereinafter described,

and ofvwhich the scope of application willpbe Y indicated in the appended claim.

`In the `accompanying drawings, 1n whichare` shown various possible embodiments of my invention,

Fig. l-.is a three-quartered perspective view of a iig leaf pantie girdle embodying my invention as it appears when the crotch element is fully attached;

FigZ-is a similar fragmentaryviewfofthe girdle after` the fastening means along one of the lateral edges of thecrotch element has been opened; i i

`lig. 3` is a `plan view of the crotch element as it appears `when removed from the pantie girdle and laid on a flatsurface;` i l l i Fig. 4 `is an enlarged sectional View through the girdle as a fastening means, the same being `taken substantially along the line 4-4 of lig.` 1J; and

Fig. 5iis a view similar to Figdl of a modified form ofmy invention.

Referring now to the drawings,` and more particularly to Figs. 1-4, lll denotes a pantie girdle `embodying my invention. Said girdle is of ap` proXimately tubular shapefand may be of "any,

general construction well known to the art. Thus, the garment may include a plurality of vertically extending circumferentially resilientpanels I'2,

I4, i6, 18,2122, secured together by rows of i stiching 24 toprovide aform shaping and ccnstricting portion. It will beunderstoodthat this illustratedform shaping and constricting portion` may be modified in many ways without affecting `my invention; l Thus,`it may be knitted or woven" as one piece, it may include or wholly consist of non-resilient material, it may include stays, gussets orlaces,` or it may have a vertical line of` fastening elements to enable the garment 'to be` 40 moreeasily takenon oroff.

The 4pantie girdle alsoincludes a crotch element 26. Although this element may be of any desired outline,` I prefer to `fashion it to a rectangular shape, as such shape lends itself best to the incorporation of fasteningfmeans pursuant to my invention. The element 26 should be of a soft,

`flexible fabric material, e. g. knitted rayon, inV

order to minimize chang.

In girdles of the type underconsideration,"` said crotch element is securedto the form shaping and constricting portion in some desired position1 which will depend uponthe design of the girdle l and the purpose the girdle is intended to serve: As shown herein, by way `of example, the crotch 5- element is adapted' to extend from thefrontlto the back of the girdle in the form of an a'r'h,

being connected to the front of the girdle along the edge of deep convex notch 28 and to the back of the girdle along a similar notch 36. Thus, the

Athe girdle leg portions 46, 42.

The girdle and crotch element as thus fardescribed are old, andit `has been standard practice to detachably connect these members to each other, either by snap or hook fasteners. However, fasteners of such nature have several drawbacks when used for this purpose, and..as.a result, the sales of lig leaf girdles have suffered materially. For example, snaps and hooks stiffen a rather considerablearea of la fabric `to which they are attached, so that if they are located close together a girdle becomes too stiff; On` the other hand, if `they are spaced apart appreciably, asisthe custom, `there isa tendency for lthe crotch element Vand .form rccfnstricting portion .to separate ibetween the fastener elements in certain positionsof the girdle. Fur-thermore,.snap fasteners do noteffect asecure closure and :occasionally open accidently, `while .hook fasteners, if the girdle is tight fitting, are `very hard 4to open even .whenudesired In 4addition hooksand snap fasteners are comparativelybulky so hat ytheydisturlo the smooth t of outer-garments and dig into the flesh.

.Pursuant .to .my invention, all :these .drawbacks are yavoided by employing slide .fasteners 4 4 .as the :fastening means. The slide fastener .at .the front of -thegirdle includes two stringers 416, =.48, enesewed .along the edgeof the frontnotch .28 and the other sewed along.tl'ieflateral,y edge 34.of the crotchcelenient. Each YStringer `comprises a conventional tapeV .v5.6 having a `beaded edge '52 along whichacontinuous closely and `uniformly spaced series of .individual vstandard slide fas-- tener elements 54 are clinched. `Said elements are provided with suitableinterlocking means, e g.. a projection andlunderlying socket. A conventional camining slider56 isused to :guide lltlie elements into `interlocking or vfreed relationship. Desirablxsaid slider'is of an automatically-lockingstype, such for example as fshown in lU. S. -Letters Patent fNo. 1,966,457, whereby it will `.remain in anyposition in which it is left. Each Stringer 136, I4.3hasindividual'top stops 58 and the slide tastenenhasa separable-bottom stop 6U of any well-known construction, forinstance the pin and socket ltype such as shown inill.` S. yLetters PateritNo. lt-842,05. lSuch. arrangement permits the two stringers/lj, 48 to be completely separated. The-pinZ `of lthe bottom stop is located on the crotchelement and the socket 6.4 on the girdle proper,thereby I.captively securing the slider 56 to the girdle where it'i'sdesslikely `to getlost -or damagesincethe-:girdle is-.larger and less frequently launderedthanthe crotch element.

Theslide fastener Aat the rear of `tl'iegirdle is identical to tliatat-th-e front although, if desired, itmay, as shown, be v.cppositely disposed with regardtothe direction of -travelcfvthe slider.

Ityispointed outlvthat the r-rf-xlatively.tiny proportions of the slide fastener elements prevent them from .noticeably stiffening the girdle, and

their method of interlocking ,permits the Aslide l fasteners to ybetwisted and flexed aseasily as thematerial of the girdle itself. Furthermore, theclosuresv effected are continuous, thereby @residing` any` possibility of gaps.

ERurseant.torenancillaryafeetur 0f my. invention, means are provided to protect the skin of a wearer from the slide fasteners. One such means is shown in detail in Fig. 4, where it will be seen to comprise two covering tapes 66, 68. The covering tape 66 is secured by a row of stitch# ing 'i6 along one of its longitudinal edges to the crotch element 26 in juxtaposition to the Stringer 48, the tape being suiiiciently wide to allow its fr ee longitudinal edge to extend beyond the slide fastener elements on said stringer. The other covering tape 68'is centrally longitudinally folded f as at T2, and is secured by a row of stitching 14 'running along said fold to the form constricting lportion I0 in juxtaposition to the Stringer 4'6.

The, tape 68 is sufficiently wide to allow both its fre'e'longitudinal edges to extend beyond the slide fastener elements on the stringer 46. In operation vthe tape 66 will enter between the folded layers of the tape 68 and the overlapping tapes will cover the slide fastener. Said tapes are disposed .on v.the :inner lsurface ,of i the .girdle and crotch elementso l'that they .will ,lie next `tothe skin of the .wearen '.Desirably .means .also may be included .to detac'hably maintain `the ytapes in .overlapping relationship. initially,v.i., e.. as the slider frst starts to `interlock .the slide fastener elements. Such means .includes a :snap fastener the male element 16 of which is tacked, e. g. by stitching togone pf the tapes,=6:6, andfthefemale element 7180i which is attached .to the .other `-tape 6,8, vpreferably the layer closer yto `the slide fastener. ,Said .means fis located vadjacentthe separable bottom stop 60.

f AAnother fonmof .protecting `meansis lshown ,in Fig'. r5. .Said means ,differs --fro m;that shown in Fig. .4 onlythat thetape -68is .not folded, and, accordingly is narrower. rTheseveral;parts, of this second .protecting means yare denoted l by .primed reference numeralswhich are otherwise thesame as the reference numerals used to indicate the same or similar .partsin Fig. .4.

.fIt will thusbe seen` thatzlhave .providedigirdles whichachieve `these-vera-l. obiects of this-inven tion and arenwelly adapted to meet, the-conditions of ,practical use.

.As various ,possible `embodiments might .ble

made vof .the above .,invention, and .as Ivarious changes might zbe made-inthe. embodiments above setforth, it is to beunderstoo'd that all .matter herein .set forth or .shown kin .the .accompanying drawings isto beinterpreted as .illustrativeandz not .in -a limiting sense.

Having now described .my invention, .I claim asnew anddlesire to.fsecure by .Letters fPatent: i

A iig leaf pantie girdle comprising a tubuiar form`shaping .and constricting portion with af opposite edges .of .the element `at said notches, a pair cf vcompletely separable .slide fasteners to connect i the mentioned edges of :saidv l elements tothe edgescf .said note-hes, .each ofsaid slide fasteners including' a slider and a pairv :of stringers, lone of .the .stringers .beingattached .to the .crotch elementaml .the other to the fform shaping and. constricting ponti-on, fthe vlsliders being captively secured to the form shaping :and constrictingY portion, means vto coverrthe surfaces of each` .of `thegs-li'de fasteners at Lthe. inside of l girdle, said. last-.named means including vt,wfopa1irs of. overlapping i tapes;` one tape of Veach .pain

attached to the crotch element and the other tape of each pair being attached to the form shaping and constricting portion, both tapes of each pair being disposed alongside the associated slide fastener, and snap fastener means on tapes of each pair to detachably connect said tapes to one another, said snap fastener means being located adjacent the end of each slide fastener Where interlocking starts.

FRANK A. COHEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Bulloch Mar. 24, 1942 

